The Lantern Barer
by MommaVanillaBear
Summary: Those who wander in the woods are not always lost; some merely search for their 'true' home and a means to stay... No matter the cost.


_In the dying light of dusk, where the sun's rays once more lose the battle to the night, it is whispered, through the trees and on the breeze, to stay away from the forest of the Unknown. When the final ray of the day dies, so too does the safety that it offers, for that is the time when the spirits walk; however, amongst the Unknown there are many spirits, most of which harmless…_

 _Save for the spirits of the two children._

 _One will tell you lies, while the other will sing a song, dare to get too close, and all hope will be lost._

"Please Greg, hurry up!" The soft voice called through the woods, footsteps heard between the gentle crackle of dried leaves and breaking branches, a boy no older than fifteen wandered quickly through the maze of trees, only glancing behind himself ever so often to make sure his younger brother was following. "He's waiting for us- he's waiting for me…"

"I'm coming, ol' brother of mine!" The younger of the two piped up, the sound of a frog ribbiting being heard over his panting breath and heavy footsteps. "Do you think he'll have sweets this time?"

An incredulous laugh was heard from the eldest, dark brown eyes rolling at the foolish words of his brother, however he did not slow down, his steps hurrying until he was full on sprinting, needing to see the spirit of the forest- needing to see the spirit that he kept alive by baring the lantern. "Please be here- please!" He practically begged, running into the clearing of the forest, eyes wide and frantically searching until he saw the dark form of his beloved spirit, large white, pupil-less eyes opening to guide him closer.

"My boy," The deep baritone voice called, hints of laughter in his words as he glided through the clearing to reach his 'boy', his lower body a blur of black coils and smoke, branch like fingers reaching out to cup and cradle the boy's face, tilting his head up to look at him. "You are late and I grow hungry; have you yet to feed the lantern tonight?"

"I tried- but Greg and I couldn't find the way back to the forest right away- and by the time we got here it was too late to convince anyone to follow us!" Wirt dropped to his gray clad knees, tears prickling his vision, the branch like fingers wiping them away, scratching his skin. "Please, if only you would let me stay here- I want to stay with you here!"

The spirit's eyes dimmed as they narrowed, his voice soft when he spoke at last, "You are still so young my sweet boy, to think, you would snuff out your own lantern to be with me; what of the world of the living? Would you truly not regret it?"

"Being away from you is a worse fate than a fish being withheld from the sea- like a rose kept from its beloved gardener and garden- you are what gives me motivation to awaken…please…" Wirt sniffled, using his dark blue cape to try and quell his tears, "please Beast…let me stay with you, I have tried so many times, please let me make it final."

The clearing grew silent save for the echoes of oncoming footsteps, the temperature dropping rapidly once the Beast had time to stop and mull over Wirt's words, his branch like fingers tearing his sleeve on his right arm up, the white orbs of his eyes widening in disbelief at seeing the large gashes that marked Wirt's wrist and fore arm; some were old and faded pink whilst others were crimson and still scabbing over, very carefully the beast caressed each mark, pulling down the sleeve just in time to cover the marks before Greg could see.

"H-hey! Wirt, I finally caught up!" Greg panted, falling down on his backside near them, holding his frog close, looking up at the towering mass of the Beast. "I found a cool rock, want to know a rock fact?"

"Oh Greg…" Wirt groaned, turning to his brother, unable to keep a sob of a laugh from being heard, getting up off his knees. Looking to the Beast he nodded, caressing the hand that held his arm still. "I'll go back out there, I- I'll find something- someone to feed your lantern with! Greg, stay here- and no more rock facts!"

"Yes ol' brother of mine!" Greg piped up, falling onto his back, frog sitting on his chest. "Beast, do you know my brother loves you?"

"Is that a rock fact?" The Beast asked, standing beside the smaller boy, his coils wrapping around Greg loosely, almost cradling him.

"Yep, but it's a true one!"

Chuckling the Beast watched the light of the lantern dim, finally gone when Wirt could no longer be seen, a breeze ruffling the branches of his mishapened body, he would wait for Wirt to return, knowing his boy would not rest until the lantern was fed and satisfied for yet another night…

"Through the woods I wonder, lost and alone, searching and praying, that I find my true home…" Wirt sung softly, the lantern lighting his way, a body of his last victim laying just up ahead, hacked into pieces of wood, the elder wood curled around it's body, only the wooden face of the victim was still able to be made out. "Oh child, how I cry for what I have done, but after all I must do this, for my own beloved one."

The ax swung smoothly, breaking the face that was forever frozen in a silent scream, leaving it only in splintered wood that Wirt stacked carefully under his arms, quick to head back to turn into oil; after all, he had his beloved Beast to feed…

With winter beginning to take its icy hold over the forest of the Unknown the paths Wirt once walked with ease began to take much longer, the dead leaves hiding the logs and rocks that tripped him, and the icy chill that caused his eyes to water with its frigid sting; yet tonight as he walked the memorized path to the clearing he did not falter, the chill unable to seep into his bones as it had before- now he walked proudly, lantern held high, eyes shining bright with the cast of light.

"Wirt," the Beast called, rising from where it had been crouching, it's eyes flickering with confusion when he saw that Greg was not with him, the icy breeze ruffling the leaves that still clung to the trees. "Where is Greg?"

"Greg will not be coming back. Not with me anyways." Wirt smiled sweetly, a white scarf around his neck, reaching out he took one of the Beast's hands, bringing it to his cheek to nuzzle. "I will not be leaving the Unknown anymore, my beloved Beast- my king, my flickering light that guides me. You and I shall always be together."

"What have you done?" The Beast snarled, tugging away the scarf to see for himself the large gash the was carved around Wirt's neck like a ring, deep and crusted black from where the blood had gushed down. Tracing the ring around his neck the Beast gazed upon his beloved boy, his voice wavering only for a moment in confusion. "Why would you do this, my sweet lantern barer?"

"So that I may always be with you." He smiled, eyes tearing up as if it should have been obvious, black ink like tears streaming down his face, the lantern wobbling in his grasp. "I don't need anyone- only you! Not the people of the town that scorn me- or the Father and Mother that reject me, only you!"

"What has been done cannot be changed…" The Beast wrapped a cold, branch like arm around his boy, his shadowed face leaning down as he roughly kissed away the ink like tears, bark like skin cutting into Wirt's. "Come, my sweet boy, for you shall be a prince amongst the trees- my beloved lantern barer. I meant to claim you within a years' time if you had still wished to stay, but I see you have made the choice yourself."

"I have." Wirt whispered, allowing himself to be picked up, feeling the carved in faces of the Beast's body pressing against him through his clothing. "Please…take me home, my true home."

It wouldn't be for several months before the younger brother of Wirt was found roaming the unknown, his finger tips and lips a violent shade of purple, eyes pale in his sunken in face- having froze to death in the search of his brother.

"Wirt…" He cried out, smiling once he saw the light of the lantern, smiling wider still at the smaller child following him. Oh how he would tell her Rock Facts until her dying breath, for after all, his brother needed her to trust them, and Greg saw himself as such a very good helper…


End file.
